Propelling and steering device



- May 45, 19742. v H CARRIER 2281,915.

PROPELIING ANDSTEERING DEVICE Filed Nov. 25, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor May 5, 1942. l, H. cARRlE 2,281,915

PROPELLING AND STEERING DEVICE Filed Nov. 25, 1940 3 sheets-sheet s Patented May 5, 1942. 4

UNITED STATES FATENT GFHQE PROPELLING AND1 STEERING DEVICE Hermenegildo Carrier, Amesbury, Mass.

Application November 25, 1940, Serial No. 367,086

4 Claims. (Cl. 115-29) My invention relates to improvements in propelling and steering means for Watercraft, and the primary object of the invention is to provide a simple and emcient unit of this character enabling easy manual propulsion and steering of small boats such as are ordinarily propelled and steered by means of motor operated units or by means of oars.

Other important objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from a reading of the following description taken in connection with the appended drawings, wherein for purposes of illustration I have shown a preferred embodiment of my invention.

In the drawings- Figure 1 is a general longitudinal sectional and side elevational view of an arrangement' in accordance with the present invention showing the same applied to the stern of a boat.

`Figure 2 is a rear elevational view of Figure l showing in dotted lines extreme operated positions of the water foil.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary rear e1evational and transverse vertical sectional view taken along the line 3--3 of Figure 1 and looking toward the left in the direction f the arrows.

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Figure 1 and looking downwardly in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational and sectional view of the water foil assembly shaft.

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal vertical sectional View taken through the j bracket and showing the pivotal relation thereto oi the laterally swingable support.

Figure 7 is a top plan View of the `laterally swingable support.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral 5 generally designates the stern of a small boat on which the bracket generally designated 6 is mounted by means of a portion 'I which engages the rear side lof the stern'and an abbreviated opposed portion 8 which has a clamping 15., screw 9 adapted to engage the front of the stern 5. The bracket has a rearwardly upstanding horizontal portion IU -projectingbehind the stern 5, the top of the portion II) being substantially flat, with a minor portion I2 (as shown in VFigg ure 6) circularly depressed to receive the circular boss I3 on the bottom of the swingable support which is generally designated I4 and which projects rearwardly beyond the portion I0 of the bracket, as illustrated in Figure 1. vA pivot n and assembling bolt I5 traverses the support I4 and the portion I0 of the bracket 6 as shown in Figure 6, the bolt vpassing through the center of the circular lug I3. The head of the bolt is seated in a countersink I6 in the top of the support I4, the support I4 having the irregular elongated shape shown in Figure 7 in top plan. Two laterally spaced lugs I'I rise from the top of the support I4 at one side of the countersink I6 and between these lugs is supported a pivot I8 on which is swingably mounted the lower end of a link I9 carrying a pivot 2U at its upper end which traverses an intermediate part of the manual operating lever 2I.

The lever 2I extends to a point substantially forwardly of the stern 5 within easy reach of the operator, and the lever extends rearwardly from the pivot to a point adjacent the rear end of the support I4. The rear end portion of the lever 2| is pivoted as indicated by the numeral 22 between lugs 23 rising from a cross head 24 which has openings accommodating slide guides 25 and 25, respectively, the said guides being threaded into the rear extremity of the support I4 as shown in Figure 3. The bottom 21 of the cross head 24 has a recess 2li receiving the upper end of a toothed rack 2S. A detent 3|] fixed in place on `the bottom 27 0f the cross head by screws 3|, is inserted between two adjacent teeth of the rack to keep the rack stationary relative to the cross head 24. A channelshaped guide portion 32 depends from the support I4 and slidably receives the lower part of the rack, with the rack in mesh with the teeth `of a pinion 33 which is fixed to a shaft 34, the shaft being rotatably mounted in a forward bracket which depends from the support I4 and a rear bracket 3S behindwhich the pinion is located. With the arrangement described it 'is obvious `that oscillation of the free end of the lever 2I in a Vertical plane will 4cause the rack `25 to rise and fall and thereby rotate the pinion 33 and hence the shaft 34 in opposite directions at a desired speed and in a desired amplitude of swing toward either side, according to the position of the lever 2 I.

Fixed to the shaft 34 between the front and rear carrying brackets 35 and 36 is the water foil bearing assembly which is generally designated 31 and which consists of a vertical cylindrical housing 38 closed at its upper end at 39 and has adjacent its upper end a pair of diametrically opposed laterally projecting journals 40 and 4I, respectively, the journal 4I which turnsv in theA bearing 35 being an extension of the shaft 34. The journals are xed to the housing 33. Within the housing a reduced portion 42 of the water foil shaft ts, this portion hav-' ing a circumferential groove 43 in which project diametrically opposed threaded pins 44 and 45, whereby the shaft portion 42 is held up in place in the housing. Projecting from the lower part of the housing 38 and spaced at an angle of about 45 degrees are the stop arms 46 and 4l, each of which has a corresponding stop screw 48, 4S, respectively, the screws being arranged to engage opposite sides of a buttress 50 rising from a radial arm i which projects forwardly from the water foil shaft 52, whereby rotation of the shaft 52 relative to the housing 38. on a vertical axis is limited to a predetermined arc in opposite directions.

The shalt 5i' is larger in diameter than the reduced portion 42. The upper end of the shaft 52 engages the bottom of the housing 38 as clearly shown in Figure 5. The water foil `which is generally designated 53 is attached so as todepend'rigidly from the lower end of the shaft 52.

The mentioned radial arm 5I has in its front end a longitudinal slot 54 whose purpose is to receive the lower end 55 of a locking lever 55 which is pivoted at 55 to and between a pair of lugs 56' rising from the support I4 to the :rear of the circular depression I6, as particularly well shown in Figure 7 of the drawings. The locking lever depends through a slot 5l' which is formed longitudinally in the support I4 to allow the lever 55 sufficient freedom of forward and rearward motion when grasped at the upper end by the operator of the boat. The lower part 55 of the locking lever 55 when engaged in thel slot 54 of the radial arm 5I locks the water foil53 in longitudinal alignment with the support I4, so that the foil will not be free to move to either side relative to the support I4 even'though the support I4 be swung toward either side by operation of the lever 2| in a horizontal plane.

Divergently curved fingers 58 and 59 extend from the front end of the radial arm 5I to guide the lower part 55 of the'locking lever into the slot 54 so that clashing and overharsh engagement of the lever 55 and the radial arm 5I is easily avoided when engaging or disengaging the locking lever from the arm 5I. The fingers guide the lower part of the locking lever smoothly into engagement with the slot 54.

The water foil 53 is a plate of relatively thin metal which has the shape shown in Figure 1, involving upper and lower conformably curved edges 5i) and 5I, respectively, which turn downwardly and rearwardly, and substantially perpendicular and substantially parallel front and rear edges 62 and 63, respectively, the axis; of rotation of the water foil being located somewhat rearwardly from the front edge 62 asindicated by the numeral 64. y y

By reason of the arrangements described, steering of the boat may be accomplished by swinging the lever ZI tothe desired angle, thereby confcrmably swinging the support I4 and 'the entire water foil assembly tothe same angle with respect to the keel line of the boat. Further, by up and down manual reciprocation of the lever 2I, the water foil 53 maybe caused to Yswing from side to side, away from the full line perpendicular position exemplified in Figure 2, to lateral positions exemplified in dotted lines in the same Figure of the drawings. The freedom of the water foil to rotate on a vertical axis in the housing 38, within the limits provided bythe stop screws 48 and 49, allows the water foil to automatically feather itself as it is moved from side to side in the water. The amount of feathering is predetermined by the adjustment of the screws 48 and 49, so that the desired propelling action of the foil on the water is provided to effeet forward motion of the boat. Because of the fact that the water foil may be operated simultaneously with a steering action of the device, positive direction of the boat on a selected course may be made while it is being propelled forwardly.

` Although I have shown and described herein a preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be definitely understood that I do not wish to limit the application of the invention thereto, except as may be required by the scope of the subjoined claims. v

Having described the claimed as new is:

1. A propelling andV steering device for a boat, said device comprising a bracket for attachment to project rearwardly from the stern of the boat, av substantially horizontal support pivotally mounted on said bracket for swinging on a vertical axis and to project rearwardly beyond said bracket, a water foil assembly carried by the rear part of said support, said water foil assembly comprising a depending water foil arranged for side to side movement and for movement about a vertical axis, a rockable lever mounted on said support and extending forwardly beyond the stern of the boat, and an operating connection between a portion of said lever andsaid water foil for imparting side to side movement to said water foil, said water foil being in the form of a vertical plate having its verticalA axis forwardly oifset whereby the rearward part of the plate presents a greater amount of effective surface to the water than the part forward of the vertical axis whereby said water foil vis automatically turned on its axis in side to side movement thereof in a feathering action, said water foil assembly including stop means to limit the rotation of said water foil on its axis, a locking lever on said support movable for engagement with a part of said stop means for locking said waterfoil in alignment with said support.

2. A propelling and steering device for a boat, said device comprising a bracket for attachment to project rearwardly from the stern of the boat, a substantially horizontal support pivotally invention, what is mounted on said bracket for swinging on a vertical axis and to project rearwardly beyond said bracket, a water foil assembly carried by the rear part of said support, said water foil assembly comprising a depending water foil arranged for side to side movement and for movement about a vertical axis, a rockable lever mounted on said support and extending forwardly beyond the stern of the boat, andan operating connection between a portion of said lever and said water foil for imparting side to side movement to said water foil, said water foil being in the form of a vertical plate having its vertical axis forwardly offset whereby the rearward part of the plate presents a greater amount of effective surface to the water than the p'art forward of the Vertical axis, whereby said water Lfoil is automatically turned on its axis in side to side Imovement thereof in a feathering action, said assembly comprising a vertical'rack connected to said lever, a pinion in mesh with and operated by said rack, and a connection between said pinion with said water foil.

3. In a propelling and steering device for a boat, a bracket for attachment to the stern of the boat, a support mounted on the bracket for swinging movement on a vertical axis, a water foil assembly carried by said support and embodying a depending water foil arranged for side-to-side movement and for movement about a vertical axis and stop means to limit rotation of said water foil on its axis, a lever rockably mounted on said support, an operating connection between said lever and said water foil for imparting side-to-side movement to said foil, and a locking lever on said support movable into and out of engagement with a part of said stop means for locking the water foil in substantial alignment with said support.

4. In a propelling and steering` device for a boat, a bracket for attachment to the stern of the boat, a support mounted on the bracket for swinging movement on a vertical axis, a water foil assembly carried by said support and embodying a depending water foil arranged for sideto-side movement and for movement about a vertical axis and stop means to limit rotation of said water foil on its axis, a lever rockably mounted on said support, an operating connection between said lever and said water foil for imparting side-to-side movement to said foil, and a. locking lever on said support movable into and out of engagement with a part of said stop means for locking the water foil in substantial alignment with said support; and the aforementioned operating connection between said lever and said water foil embodying a rack connected to said lever, a pinion in mesh with and operated by said rack, and a connection between said pinion and said water foil.

HERMENEGILDE CARRIER. 

